Moistener for duplicating machines



Oct. 27, 1942. w. E. DENISON 2,299,967

MOISTENER FOR DUPLICATING MACHINES Filed Feb. 1'7, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l ITT im Oct. 27, 1942. w. E. DENlsoN MOISTENER FOR DUPLICATING MACHINES Filed Feb. 17, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 0cm-1,1942, WE, BENSON l 2,299,967

MOISTENER FOR DUPLICATING MACHINES Patented Oct. 27, 1942 Mors'rENEa Foa DUPLICATING MACHINES William E. Denison, Chicago, Ill., assigner to Ditto, Incorporated, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of West Virginia.

Application February 17, 1940, Serial No. 319,476

18 Claims.

This invention relates to molstening mechanism, and particularly to moistenlng mechanism of the type wherein a thin film of liquid is applied to a roller which contacts the object to be moistened. This type of moistening mechanism is particularly well adapted for use in a wet process duplicating machine for the moistening of copy sheets.

Some of the moistening devices at present in commercial use require priming after an interval of non-use. In others, which are quicker acting, two or more contacting rollers may be employed for the transfer of liquid to a copy sheet or other object to be moistened, one of which rollers dips into a body of liquid. Such a roller is often referred to as a wallower roll. In the latter type of construction, there is likely to be a certain amount of splashing as the wallower roll rotates in the body of liquid, which splashing oftentimes causes uneven application of liquid to the copy sheet. Furthermore, when the wallower roll is stationary, there is likely to be an accumulation of liquid at the bite of the coacting rolls, which may be caused in part by creepage of the liquid upwardly along the undersurface of the wallower roll. Upon starting the moistening device, this accumulation of liquid will be transferred to the copy sheet or other object to be moistened in an undesirably large quantity. In the case of duplicating machines, this undesirably large quantity of liquid applied to the copy sheet will damage the master sheet.

It is an objec't of my invention to provide a new and improved moistening mechanism ,in which a very thin film of liquid may be applied to a moistening roll. It is a further object to provide improved means for applying a lm of moisture of controlled thickness to a meistening roll. A further object of my invention is to provide, for a duplicating machine, an improved moistening mechanism which does not require priming after an interval of non-use, and which prevents solvent from splashing onto or being otherwise transferred to the surface of a copy sheet in undesirable quantities.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention which is herein illustrated, a molstening or applicator roll and a feeder or spreader roll are provided in Contact with each other. The moistening roll is adapted to contact the surface of a copy sheet which is being fed into a wet process duplicating machine of the usual construction. Means are provided to maintain a. small pool of liquid under the feeder roll when that roll is stationary so that, when the duplicating machine is started after a period of non-use, the feeder roll and moistening rolls may .be wetted immediately without the necessity of priming the moistening device. During normal operation of the machine, the liquid may be applied directly to the surface of the feeder roll by a spray or other suitable means, which are herein shown.

Referring now to the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through a duplicating machine embodying the improved moistening mechanism;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view along line 2-2 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view along line 3 3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view along line 4-4 of Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring now to the several gures of the drawings, in which corresponding parts are indicated by the same reference characters, I5 and I6 indicate frame members formed of sheet metal pressed into dished form and located at opposite sides of the machine, being connected together at their lower ends by transversely extending frame parts Il. A drum I9 of any approved type is rotatably mounted in position between the frame members I5 and I6 by means of a heavy shaft member 20 which is provided with a gear 2I meshing with a pinion 22 for giving the drum I9 the desired rotary movement, such rotary movement being effected preferably by means of a crank or the like (not shown) carried by a stub shaft 23 upon which the pinion 22 is xedly mounted. As is best shown in Fig. 2, the drum I9 is provided with a series of grippers 24 mounted upon a shaft 25 and normally pressed b y springs 26 into operative position with respect to bearings 21 on the drum for holding a master sheet 28 releasably in position upon the face of the drum.

Underneath the drum I9, a platen roller 29 is mounted in position by means of a heavy shaft 30 between two levers 3| pivotally mounted upon pins 32 carried by the frame members I5 and I5. The lower ends of the levers 3| are provided with screw-threaded pins 32a which are rigidly mounted in position on the levers so as to bear at their forward ends against cams 33 rotatably mounted in position by means of a shaft 34. The arrangement is such that upon rotary movement of the shaft 34 the levers 3| are swung about the pins 32 for increasing or decreasing the effective pressure between the platen roller 29 and the drum The means for forwarding copy sheets into the bite of the drum i9 and the platen roller 29 comprises two rollers 35 and 38 rotatably mounted in position between the frame members i and i6 by means of shafts 31 and 38 respectively, such rollers being mounted in cooperative relation with respect to each other so as to move copy sheets forwardly toward the right in Fig. 2 into the bite of the drum and the platen roller 29.

In the construction illustrated, the shaft 66 for the roller 36 is supported by levers 39 at opposite sides of the machine pivotally mounted at intermediate points by means of machine screws 40 which take into lugs 4| carried by the frame members |5 and I6. Springs 42 are connected between the rear end portions of the levers 66 and pins 43 carried by the frame members i6 for pressing the roller 36 forcibly against the roller 35, the degree of pressure being controlled by the position at which the springs 42 are mounted upon the levers 39 (see Fig. 1)

For supporting a pile of copy sheets 44 in position in rear of the sheet forwarding rollers 66 and 36 for being fed forwardly toward the right in Fig. 2, a table 45 has been provided suitably supported in position with its forward edge portion extending into close proximity to the rollers 35 and 36, as is best shown in Fig. 2. Side bars 46 of any suitable type are adjustably mounted upon the table 45 for holding the sheets 44 in the desired adjusted position upon the table.

The means for applying solvent upon the moistening roller 35 for transfer to a copy sheet fed between the rollers 35 and 36 comprises a feeder roller 41 rotatably mounted between arms or levers 48 pivotally mounted by means of machine screws 49 taking into auxiliary frame plates 50 at` opposite sides of the machine. In the arrangement shown, the auxiliary frame plates 50 are mounted upon the frame members i5 and |l6 by having notched engagement with the machine screws 40 at their lower end portions, being further secured at their upper end portions by means of machine screws 5| secured in bearing blocks 52 which in turn are secured on lugs 53 by means of screw-threaded pins or bolts 54 having nuts 55 secured on their outer ends, as is clearly shown in Fig. 4. At their upper ends, the levers 48 are provided with screw-threaded bolts 56 (see Fig. 2) which are pivotally mounted up n the levers and extend rearwardly through /perforated lugs 51 carried by the plates 50. Upon the rear end portions of the bolts 56 in lear of the lugs 51, coiled springs 58 are rnc ted, such springs being pressed forwardly y means of thumb nuts 53 mounted by means of screw-threads on said bolts. The arrangement is such that the springs 58 serve to press the roller 41 forwardly toward the moistening roller 35 for controlling the pressure lbetween said two rollers, the degree of pressure being dependent upon the position of the thumb nuts 59 upon the bolts 58.

A receptacle 60 ismounted between the auxiliary frame plates 5/6, the receptacle comprising a bottom member and side walls 52, the side lwalls being suitably apertured to provide for the shaft 31 and machine screw 49. suitably secured to the side walls by means of brazing, for instance, and extending from one side wall to the other,

are an inner supply pipe 63 and an outer pipe P 64 which is concentrlcal with the inner pipe. Each of these pipes is provided with suitable perforations, the perforations in the inner pipe being ldisposed in the upper portion thereof, and theperforations in the outer pipe being disposed in the side portion thereof which is opposite the feeder roll 41. A connecting pipe 65 extends through the auxiliary frame plate 50 and the side wall 62, and. communicates with the inner pipe 63. A flexible hose 66 extends from the connecting pipe 85 down to a pump 6l which is located in a tank 68.

The tank is suitably mounted in the framework of the machine. Solvent is supplied directly onto the surface of the feeder roll 41 by means of the pump 61, a pipe 69 leading from the lower portion of the pump to the flexible hose 66. A check valve 16 is interposed in the supply line between pipe 69 and the hose 66.

The pump 61 is operated by means of a lever 1i pivotally mounted on the frame of the machine by means of a machine screw 12, the lever 1| being connected with the'piston rod 13 of the pump, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1. A second lever 14 is pivotally mounted by means of the machine screw 12, with a lug 15 thereon engaging the bottom face of the lever 1| so that downward movement of the lever 14, causes upward movement of the lever 1|. A roller 16 carried by the lever 14 is actuated by a 'cam 11 carried by the drum i9 so that the lever 1`I is given an upward stroke against the action of the spring of the pump, followed by a downward stroke upon each revolution of the drum, the downward stroke of the lever i4 being effected against the action of a coiled spring 16 mounted between the lever 14 and a bar 19. The arrangement is such that upon each operative stroke of the lever 1| solvent is delivered from the tank or receptacle 68 through the pipe 69, flexible hose 66 and into the inner and outer pipes 63 and 64 from which it sprays directly onto the surface of the feeder roll 41.

At opposite ends of the rollers 35 and 41, wiper members 8| in the form of blocks are mounted so as to bear against the ends of the rollers for wiping surplus solvent therefrom and so as to partially close the space between the rollers 35 and 41. Each of the blocks 8| is mounted in position by means of a plate 82 secured at its upper end by machine screws 83. The bearing blocks 8| may be slidably associated with the plates 82 in such `a manner that they press against the ends of the rollers 35 and 41 to prevent any solvent which accumulates at the bite of these two rollers from spilling over the ends thereof. As indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, each block is provided with a notched portion 86 which communicates with a groove 81 formed in the upper surface of each block. If too much solvent accumulates at the bite, it will spill out through the notch and groove portions into the bottom of the receptacle and out through the drain 98. The construction of the wiper blocks is more fully explained in my co-pending application Serial No. 305,900, filed November 24, 1939.

In front of the roller 35a shield 88 has been provided for preventing the solvent from splashins into the drum I3 or the master sheet 28.

Mounted in the receptacle 60 and extended from one side wall to the other, is a steel bar 90. This bar may be welded at either end to the side walls and at one edge to the outer pipe 64. A pin 9| extends outwardly from the side wall 62 and contacts the bar 80 so as to assist in locating the position of the bar. A strip of rubber or neoprene 92 overlies the steel bar 96 and serves as a baille.- A gap 93 of approximately 14;; inch to4 tg inch is provided between the edge of the rubber strip 92 and the roller 41. The rubber strip 92 cooperates with the roll to form a trough, and vertical members 94 are provided extending upwardly from the bar 90 to serve as end members for the trough.

As the feeder roll 41 rotates in the clock-wise direction, as shown in Fig. 2, it will be seen that thesolvent which is sprayed out of the outer pipe 54 onto the surface of the roller 41 will collect in this trough. In normal operation, the roller 41 rotates with sufficient velocity as to prevent the liquid which has accumulated in the trough from running down through the gap 93. This accumulation of solvent in the trough insures an even and uniform distribution of solvent on the surface of the roller 41.

A depression 95 is formed in the bottom member I, this depression being located directly under the feeder roller 41. The right-hand edge of the bottom member, as viewed in Fig. 2, is turned upwardly to provide a baille 95. The side walls 52 are apertured at a point slightly above the depression 95 to provide outlets 91 which are shown in Fig. 4. A drain pipe 93 extends from each outlet down to the supply tank 58. A second small bale 99 is disposed between the depression 95 and the baille 95.

When the roller 41 ceases to rotate, the body of liquid which is maintained in the trough formed by the rubber strip 92, will run downwardly into the bottom of the receptacle 50 and accumulate in the depression 95. The outlets 91 are so placed that the free surfaceof the body of liquid collecting in the depression 95 will just contact the lower surface of the roller 41. Any surplus liquid will be returned to the tank 69 through the drain 95. If the machine is again started after a short period of non-use, the surface of the roller 41 will be wetted by the body of liquid accumulated in the depression 95 during4 the first few revolutions of the machine, until suilicient liquid has accumulated above the baille 92. The body of liquid in the depression 95, however, is so small that there will be none of the splashing which ordinarily accompanies the operation of a wallower roll. Furthermore, the surface of this body of liquid is sufficiently small so that the usual tendency of the low surface tension solvent to creep up the under-side of the feeder roller 41 and accumulate at the bite of rollers 41 and 35 is obviated. 'I'he baIlles 95 and 99 cooperate to prevent this creepage, as well as to prevent splashing.

'I'he means employe or rotating the moistening roller 35 comryifes/f a large gear I 0I fixedly mounted upon t haft 20 so as to rotate with the drum I9, such gear meshing with a pinion |02 rotatably mounted in position upon a stud |03 carried by the framework, the pinion |02 in turn being in mesh with a pinion |04 carried by the shaft 31 of the moistening roller-35. The arrangement is such that when the drum is driven in counter-clockwise direction in Fig. 1, the roller 35 is driven also in counter-clockwise direction at substantially the same surface speed so as to carry a copy sheet forwardly toward the right in said Fig. 1 between the roller 35 and the cooperating roller 35,. When a sheet is carried forward by the rollers 35 and 35, it is brought thereby into the bite of the drum I9 and the platen roller 29, the parts being driven in such timed relation as to cause the copy sheet to have the desired registration with the master sheet 29, as is well understoodin mechanisms of this type. From the drum and the platen roller, the copy sheet passes forward into position in a tray |05. For effecting the desired registrationl of the copy sheet forwarded by the rollers 35 and 35 with the master sheet 25 on the drum, the cam 11 is provided with a recess |05 at one point in its periphery adapted by engagement with the roller 15 to give the operator a signal, calling for the stoppage of the rotation of the drum for the insertion of a copy sheet into the bite of the forwax-ding rollers 35 and 35.

The receptacle 50 may be provided with a cover |01 which is suitably pivoted 0n the side walls 52 at |09. It will be seen that the receptacle, the cover and the shield 93 cooperate to enclose the rollers 35 and 41 and prevent any splashing from reaching the surface of the copy sheets.

In operation, the rotation of the drum I9 causes the moistening roller 35 and the co-acting roller 30 to rotate at the same peripheral speed as the drum rotates. g1-'The copy sheet may be manually fed to the bite'of the rollers 35 and 36, an'd from this point on these rollers will feed the copy sheet to the drum. At the same time, a thin film of solvent is applied by the roller 35 to the upper face of the copy sheet. The amount of solvent supplied to the surface of the copy sheet may be regulated by adjusting the thumb nuts 59 which, in turn, regulate the pressure between rollers 41 and 35. The amount of solvent may also be regulated by regulating the length of pump stroke by suitable means, not shown herein, but shown and described in Patent 2,145,729, granted Jan. 31, 1939, to Alfred Marchev.

Both the spreader roll 41 and the applicator roll 35 are made of non-absorbent material. Either or both of them may be resilient. Preferably the applicator roll 35- is resilient, being made of neoprene or rubber. 'I'he roller 41 may be of hard rubber, plastic, metal or other suitable hard material. The spreader roller 41 may have either a serrated or a smooth surface.

While the form and arrangement of parts as shown in the drawings and as above described are preferred, the invention is not to be limited to such construction and arrangement except so far as the claims may be so limited, it being understood that changes might well'be made in the form and arrangement of the parts without departing from the invention.

I` claim:

l. Moistening means comprising a moistening roll, a supply roll in contact therewith, means effective during normal operation of the mechanism to supply liquid to the surface of said supply roll, and means adapted at the end of each period of operation of the mechanism to cause the production of a small body of liquid in contact with said supply roll for moistening the surface of the supply roll at the start of the next period of operation.

2. Moistening means comprising a supply roll, means for supplying liquid to the surface of said supply roll during the rotation thereof, means for maintaining a small body of liquid in contact with said supply roll at times when said supply roll is stationary and means to replenish the liquid in said small body only at the cessation of the rotation of said supply roll.

3. Moisteningmeans comprisin'ga moistening roll, a supply roll in contact therewith, means for maintaining a small body of liquid in contact with said supply roll at one portion of its surface during the rotation of said supply roll, and means for maintaining a small body of liquid in contact with another portion of the surface of said supply rollwhen said supply roll is stationary.

4. Moistening means comprising a moistening roll, a supply roll in contact therewith. means for maintaining a body of liquid in contact with said supply roll at one portion of its surface during the rotation of said supply roll, a receptacle for holding a small body of liquid in contact with another portion of the surface of said supply roll, said means and said receptacle cooperating with said supply roll so as to permit the transfer of said liquid from said means to said receptacle upon cessation of rotation of said supply roll.

5. Moistening means comprising an intermit- 'tently rotating roll, means for maintaining a small body of liquid in contact with said roll at one portion of its surface during the rotation of said supply roll, and means for maintaining a small body of liquid in contact with another portion of the surface of said roll when said supply roll is stationary.

6. Moistening means for a duplicating machine comprising a moistening roll, a supply roll in contact therewith, a shallow receptacle arranged to hold a comparatively very small body of liquid in contact with the bottom face of said supply roll for moistening the roll quickly at the start of each period of operation of the mechanism, and additional means to supply liquid to the' surface of said supply lroll at a higher point thereon during the operation of the mechanism.

'7. Moistening means for a duplicating machine comprising a moistening roll, a supply roll in contact therewith, a receptacle for said supply roll, a drain associatedwith said receptacle so as to maintain in contact with said supply roll a small body of liquid therein at a predetermined level, a member disposed adjacent the surface of said supply roll on the upwardly moving side thereof and provided with an edge spaced from said roll,

and means to supply liquid to the trough formed between said member and the surface of said supply roll during the rotation thereof.

8. A moistener for a duplicating machine of the wet process type comprising a combined moistening and feeding roll, a solvent supply roll rotatably mounted in contact therewith and adapted to be driven thereby, means for intermittently spraying liquid to the surface of said supply roll, and a baille in the form of a trough positioned beneath said spraying means and having an edge positioned in proximity to said supply roll to form a narrow gap, whereby said baille serves to distribute a film of liquid uniformly over the surface of said supply roll.

9. A moistener for a duplicating machine of the wet process type comprising a combined moistening and feeding roll. a solvent supply roll rotatably mounted in contact therewith and adapted to be driven thereby, means for intermittently sprayingliquid to the surface of said supply roll, a baille in the form of a trough positioned beneath said spraying means and having an edge positioned in proximity to said supply roll and Just clearing the surface thereof, whereby said baille serves to distribute a film of liquid uniformly over the surface of said supply roll, and wiper members engaging the ends of both of said rolls and provided with outlets at the bite of said rolls to carry -away excess liquid accumulating at said bite.

10. A moistener for a duplicating machine of the wet process type comprising a combined moistening and feeding roll, a solvent supply roll rotatably mounted in contact therewith and adapted to be driven thereby, means for intermittently and a baille in the form of a trough positioned beneath said spraying means and having an edge positioned in proximity to said supply roll to form a gap not exceeding one-thirty-second inch, whereby said baille serves to distribute a film of liquid uniformly over the surface of said supply roll.

11. A moistener for a duplicating machine of the wet process type comprising a combined moistening and feeding roll, a solvent supply roll rotatably mounted in contact therewith and adapted to be driven thereby, a baille inthe form of a trough having an edge positioned in proximity to said supply roll to form a narrow gap, whereby said baille causes a body of liquid to be maintained in contact with said supply roll while the same is rotating, a pump for supplying liquid to said trough, and means to entrap the liquid flowing through said gap after said supply roll ceases its rotation and to maintain said liquid in contact with said roll at another point.

12. Moistening means for 'a duplicating machine comprising a supply roll, a second roll in contact therewith, means for effecting transfer of a film of liquid from the surface of said supply roll to the surface of said second roll, a member positioned beneath said supply roll and provided with a transverse depression opposite said supply roll to hold a small body of liquid in contact with said supply roll, and a plurality of baiiies extending upwardly from said member in proximity to points on the surface of said roll between said trough and the bite of said supply roll and said second roll.

13. Moistening means for a duplicating ma:- chine comprising a moistening roll, means for rotating said moistening roll, a supply roll rotatably mounted adjacent said moistening roll, means for resiliently urging said supply roll into contact with said moistening roll, a member positioned beneath said supply roll and shaped to provide a transverse depression for holding a body of liquid in contact with said supply roll having a small free surface, a drain to maintain said free surface at a predetermined area, and a plurality of baies extending upwardly from said member toward said supply roll to prevent the accumulation of solvent at the underside of the bite of said supply and moistening rolls.

14.*Moistening means for a duplicating machine comprising a moistening roll, means for rotating said moistening roll, a supply roll rotatably mounted adjacent said moistening roll, means for resiliently urging said supply roll into contact with said moistening roll, a member positioned beneath said supply roll and provided with a transverse depression for holding a small body of liquid in contact with said supply roll, means to spraying liquid to the surface of said supply roll,

supply liquid to said depression upon cessation of rotation of said supply roll, means to determine the amount of liquid held in said depression and the surface area thereof, and means to impede the circulation of the vapor of said liquid above said surface and toward the bite of said supply and moistening rolls, whereby to prevent condensation of said vapor on the underside of said supply roll in proximity to said bite.

15. In a duplicating machine, the combination with a moistening device of the type having a combined moistening and feeding roll contacting the copy sheet, a supply roll in contact with said first roll, and spray means for intermittently applying solvent to the surface of said supply roll during the operation of said machine, of a receptacle disposed beneath said supply roll and constructed to hold solvent therein in suicient quantity to contact the lower portion of said supply roll and wet the same for at least the first com.. plete revolution thereof, and means disposed between said receptacle .and said spray means to wet said supply roll, said second means being supplied with solvent from said spray means and said receptacle being supplied with solvent from said second means.

16. In a. wet process duplicating machine of the type having a rotatable drum, feed rolls for feeding copy sheets to said drum and means for supplying a film of solvent to one of said feed rolls for application to said copy sheets, the combination comprising a solvent supply roll contacting one of said feed rolls, means for resiliently urging said supply roll into contact with said feed roll to cause rotation thereof with said feed roll and to regulate the amount of solvent passing through the bite of said rolls, a trough mounted adjacent said solvent supply roll, one wall of said trough being formed by the ascending surface of said solvent supply roll and the bottom of said trough being spaced from said ascending surface a distance sufficiently small to prevent solvent from flowing between the gap formed between said bottom and said roll surface during the rotation of said roll, and means for supplying solvent to said trough.

17. In a wet process duplicating machine, means for supplying a film of solvent to a feed roll for application to copy sheets, said means including in combination a, solvent supply roll vcontacting said feed roll, means for resiliently urging said supply roll into contact with said feed roll to cause rotation thereof with said feed roll and to regulate the amount of solvent passing through the bite of said rolls, a trough mounted adjacent said solvent supply roll, one wall of said trough being formed by the ascending surface of said solvent supply roll and the bottom of said trough being spaced from said ascending surface a distance sufficiently small to prevent solvent from flowing between the gap formed between said bottom and said roll surface during the rotation of said roll, means actuated on the operation of the machine for supplying solvent to said trough, and wiping members contacting the ends of said feed and solvent supply rolls.

18. In a wet process duplicating machine, means for supplying a lm of solvent to a feed roll for application to copy sheets, said means including in combination a solvent supply roll contacting said feed roll, means for resiliently urging said supply roll into contact with said feed roll to cause rotation thereof with said feed roll and to regulate the amount of solvent passing through the bite of said rolls, a trough mounted adjacent said solvent supply roll, one wall of said trough being formed by the ascending surface of said solvent supply roll and the bottom of said trough being spaced from said ascending surface a distance sufficiently small to prevent solvent from flowing downwardly through the gap formed between said bottom and said roll surface during the rotation of said roll, means for collecting the solvent passing through said gap when said supply roll is stationary in a pool beneath said supply roll and in contact therewith for the initial wet ting of said supply roll after a period of non-use, means actuated on operation of the machine for supplying solvent to said trough, and members contacting the ends of said feed and solvent supply rolls to regulate the accumulation of solvent at the bite thereof.

f WILLIAM E. DENISON. 

